Compared to the general Australian population, a relatively high proportion of Indigenous people are employed in unskilled occupations, and a low proportion as professionals or managers.

The CDEP (a scheme which offers unemployed Indigenous Australians the opportunity of working in community managed projects and enterprises if they forego unemployment-related social security entitlements) is the main source of employment for Indigenous people in rural areas - almost 50% of income derived from employment among rural Indigenous people is derived from the CDEP.